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EVENT: Shimano Moto Athlete Ride Switches from Road to MTB

Shimano hosted a group of top
motorcycle racers yesterday at its Moto Athlete Ride Day, and for this third
annual edition, the format was switched from road to dirt. Among the 100-plus
participants were several racers who had competed in the previous evening’s
Anaheim 2 AMA Supercross round, including Chad Reed, Davi Millsaps, Wil Hahn,
Cole Seeley, Justin Brayton and Cooper Webb. Justin Bogle and Broc Tickle had
sat out the night’s racing with injuries but still showed up for the Shimano
event. In addition to the active motorcycle champions, a number of superstars
from the past participated, including Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Ward, Ryan Hughes
and Phil Lawrence.

“I’ve been a huge
motocross fan for years, and I love seeing how into cycling these guys are,”
said Joe Lawwill, Shimano Mountain Bike Marketing Specialist. “The Moto Athlete
Ride Day is a great opportunity for us to get all these amazing athletes
together for a fun ride with our Shimano staff and spend some time hanging out
in our Shimano Business Center at HQ. This is our third year hosting this event
and it means a lot to me that these guys make the effort to come spend the day
with us, especially the guys that raced the night before!”

After Lawwill presented the
moto athletes with jerseys commemorating Shimano’s 50th anniversary
in the U.S., the group headed out on the 18.5 mile loop, which featured dirt
roads and trails at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, accessed via the Serrano
Creek suburban bike path. Afterward, attendees enjoyed a taco-truck lunch.

“Shimano has been supporting
me for the last five years,” said Reed, who had finished runner-up at Angel Stadium
the night before. “The product is second-to-none and super-reliable, which is
good since I don’t have mechanics for bicycles like I do motorcycles! We racers
use bicycles as a tool, but I enjoy riding them as well, especially mountain
biking here in California.”

“I was cycling before it was
cool!” joked Josh Hayes, a four-time AMA Superbike Champion. “It’s a staple of
my training because it’s low-enough impact that you can do it even with some injuries, and since I’m the biggest guy on the road race
grid, it’s great for stripping weight. I’ve done this event every year, and
it’s always a good time riding with your peers, plus riders from different
disciplines and eras.”